Blindstitch sewing machine with selectable node former



Oct. 1, 1963 T. D. TAYLOR 3,105,450

BLINDSTITCH SEWING MACHINE WITH SELECTABLE NODE FORMER Filed Jan. 9, 1961 a Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG! 22 .r I Q g "1 23 as Q Oct. 1, 1963 1'. n TAYLOR 3,105,450

Bum-1 SEWING MA mm 5-1 mm Filed Jan. 9, 1961 8 Sheeteet 2 FIG.4

Oct. 1, 1963 T. D. TAYLOR 3,

BLINDSTITC'H SEWING MACHINE WITH SELECTABLE NUDE FORMER Filed Jan. 9, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 BLINDSTITCH SEWING mcmrm mm mm NODE FORMER Filed Jan. 9, 1961 T D. TAYLOR 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 TCH SEWING MA WITH ABLE NUDE Filed Jan. 9; 1961 8 sheets Sheet 5 F IS] T. D. TAYLOR 3,

BLINDSTITCH SEWING MACHINE WITH SELECTABLE NODE FORMER Oct. 1, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Jari. '9, 1961 Oct. 1, 1963 T. D. TAYLOR 3,105,450

BLINDSTITCI-I SEWING MACHINE WITH SELECTABLE NODE FORMER Filed Jan. 9, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 SKIP gggo 95 9s 99 FIG. 20 5 Oct. 1, 1963 T. D. TAYLOR 3,105,450

BLINDSTITCH SEWING MACHINE WITH SELECTABLE NODE FORMER Filed Jan. 9, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 FIG. 24 PIC-3.25

United States Patent 3,105,450 BLINDSTiTQH SEWING MACHENE WITH SELEQTABLE NODE FEGRMER Thomas D. Taylor, deceased, late of Eerrnann, Mm, by Georgia Brueggenjohann, executrix, Hermann, Ma, assignor to Union Special Machine Qornpany, Chica o, ill, a corporation of iilinois Filed Hart. 9, $61, Ser. No. 81,639 13 Claims. Il. 11217S) This invention relates to a blindstitch sewing machine and has particular reference to such a machine which may be very simply and readily adjusted by the operator to provide blind stitches of either the l to l or the 2 to 1 type in both soft and hard materials. it will be understood that a 1 to 1 type stitch means the same type of stitch being formed through the work being sewn upon each cycle of operation of the machine, whereas a 2 to 1 type stitch means a skip stitch performed in alternate cycles of operation of the machine, i.e. alternate stitches will penetrate only one layer of the fabric layers being sewn together While the other stitches will penetrate both layers of fabric. With suitable modification of the mechanism only one out of three or more stitches may be caused to penetrate the plurality of layers of fabric.

Heretofore, in attempting to achieve the purposes of the invention it has been necessary to rely upon the services of a mechanic to adapt a particular machine to perform properly on two different types of Work, i.e. of the soft finish type and the hard finish type. This has resulted in a substantial loss of time in the productivity of the machine and also of the operator. Materials of the hard finish type are usually formed of synthetic filaments, but some are formed of cotton filaments. Soft finish materials are formed of filaments produced from natural fibers which serve to produce softer and more flexible fabrics. It has been found that the node forming mechanism of a machine, which is necessary for the production of a blindstitch, must be of a quite difierent character, depending upon whether the fabric being stitched is of the hard finish type or the soft finish type. Blindstitch sewing machines of the character heretofore known have required the substitution of various parts, with incident loss of time, in converting the same for operation upon a diff rent type of material from that upon which it has been previously operating.

An important object of the present invention has been to provide a blindstitch sewing machine with means readily adjustable by the operator to convert the machine for the proper seaming of either soft or hard finish fabrics. This has required the provision of node forming mechanism which may be quickly and simply adjusted to selectively provide the proper node in dealing with soft finish materials, on the one hand, and hard finish materials on the other hand.

A further object of the invention has been to provide means for so controlling the action of the node former that it may operate to provide, selectively, either a 1 to 1 type of blindstitch or a 2 to 1 type of blindstitch, as may be desired for a particular seaming operation. This feature of the invention is such that the selection of the 1 to 1 or the 2 to 1 type of seam may be readily accomplished by the operator, regardless of the type of material to be stitched. Thus, the operator may readily and quickly adjust certain mechanisms in accordance with the type of material to be stitched and the type of stitching to be provided.

To achieve one of the foregoing purposes of the invention the machine includes means which may be quickly and readily shifted by the operator to predetermine whether the machine is to produce a l to 1 type of seam or a skip stitch of the 2 to 1 type or even a greater numice 2 ber of skip stitches between successive stitches which pass through the several layers of work being sewn.

The improved mechanism for selecting the type of stitch to be produced involves mounting of the node forming mechanism on a work support which may be rocked slightly to lower the node former whenever a skip stitch is to be formed but which is held stationary Whenever a regular blindstitch passing through both layers of work is desired. To select the type of stitch to be formed in a particular seaming operation, the operator simply needs to shift a small roller to cause it to cooperate with a selected one of two adjacent control discs or members.

To achieve another of the foregoing purposes the machine is provided with means, readily and simply turned by the operator, whether the 1 to 1 or the 2 to l or other forms of skip stitching are to be performed, to insure proper operation of the stitch forming mechanism upon relatively soft finish or hard finish materials. The means for this purpose is so constructed that simple adjustments make possible the performance of the machine on work which varies between the truly soft finish category and work in the truly hard finish category. Thus a single machine is adapted to provide the continuous 1 to 1 type of stitching or a skip type of stitching on any of a variety of different types of material.

For the purpose of adapting the machine for operation upon various types of fabric, it is provided with an oscillatable multiple sector node former, with provisions for selective determination, by the operator, which of the sectors shall be active in producing the desired nodes. These sectors are arranged to be selectively positioned for active operation during the operation of the machine, in accordance with the type of material being stitched. In the illustrative machine two such sectors are integrally connected and mounted on an oscillatory shaft so that Whichever sector is selected for use is given the desired move ments in a particular region to impart the node forming action and to shift the same away from the work to permit the desired feeding action to be imparted thereto. The double sector node former is mounted for oscillation about the axis of a shaft carried by a work support and the latter is adapted for oscillation about a fixed pivot to vary the height of the axis about which the node former is oscillated. This enables the selection of the type of stitch to be formed, regardless of which sector of the node former is in active position.

With the foregoing objects, features and advantages of the invention in view, and other features to be described hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the required mechanism will now be described in detail by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view partly in plan and partly in horizontal section along different planes through a sewing machine embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the machine taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken through the machine along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detail view, in perspective, of an element embodied in the mechanism for adjusting the depth of the stitching;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the machine, taken along the line 55 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 66 of FIG. 1;

:FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a view, partly in plan and partly in horizontal section, showing the feed dog and its supporting and guiding means;

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of a member provided in the connections for oscillating the needle;

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the feed bar and its guiding means;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a portion of the work supporting arm of the machine;

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the feed dog and a fixed presser foot member;

FIG. .14 is a side elevational view of the work supporting member as seen from th left in FIG. 1;

PEG. 15 is a View similar to PEG. 14, but in vertical section along a plane slightly inwardly from the left end of thework supporting member;

FTG. 16 is an exploded perspective view of certain parts adapted for adjustment to selectively permit seaming of hard finish or soft finish fabrics;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of one of the elements shown in FIG. 16, taken from a diiferent angle;

FIG. 18 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line l3-18 of FIG. 1;

P16. 19 is an exploded perspective view of parts provided for predetermining whether skip stitches or 1 to 1 stitches are to be produced;

FTG. 20 is an elevational view or" certain of the parts shown in FIG. 19 in relation to a portion of the frame;

FIG. 21 is a face view of a dial provided for determining the normal position of the work supporting member;

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a lever member provided in the connections for rocking the work supporting member during skip stitching operations;

FIG. 23 is a side elevational view of a double sector ridge former embodied in the machine;

FIG. 24 is edge view of the ridge former as seen from the left in FIG. 23;

FIG. 25 is an edge view of the ridge former as seen from the right in FIG. 23;

FIGS. 26 through 29, inclusive, are views showing the relationship between the ridge former, the needle and the throat plate of the machine under various different operating conditions.

Referring now to the drawings, the invention has been disclosed in connection with a blindstitch sewing machine of the Columbia Class 390 type. it has a main frame consisting of a base it (1 16. 1), a vertical standard 11 at the rear portion of the base, a horizontally extending arm 12 projecting from the vertical standard, and a forwardly extending arm 13 which extends over a portion of a 'work supporting member 14 ro-ckably mounted on the base 19. Rising upwardly from the base it is a wall structure 15 provided with bearing lugs id and 17 for carrying a pivot element 18 about which the work supporting member 14 may be rocked. One end 19 of the element 18 is of frusto-conical form arranged to cooperate with a recess of corresponding form in the member 14. The opposite end of the element 18 is adapted to receive the conical end of an adjustable screw 2% carried by the member 14. Thus the work supporting member 14- may be rocked about the axis of the element 18. To insure proper positioning of member 14', in relation to certain connections thereto, the element 7.3 may be adjusted axially to a limited extent and then held in set position by set screws 21 provided in the bearing blocks 16 and 7.7. Extending longitudinally of the arm 12 of the frame FIGS. 1 and is a main drive shaft 22 mounted in suitable bearings and projecting outwardly of the frame to receive a combined handwheel and pulley 23 by which the machine may be driven.

The stitchforming mechanism of the machine col prises a curved needle 24 carried by an arm 25 secured to a rock shaft 26 journaled suitable hearings in the arm 13 of the frame (FIGS. 6 and 7). Shaft 26 is rocked through suitable connections from the main drive shaft 22. For this, purpose a pitman 2'7 a strap at its lower end cooperating with a spherical eccentric 28 secured to the shaft 22. At its upper end the pitman 27 has a strap cooperating with a spherical portion 25in of a stud extending outwardly from an arm 28b secured to the shaft See also FIGS. 9 and 10 in this connection.

Cooperating with the needle in the formation of stitch s is a looper of well-known construction, which is adapted to seize a loop of needle thread when the needle is in its rightmost position (FIG. 6) and then carries this loop over the node former, to be described, into a position where the needle on its next stroke may enter the retained loop. The looper is not shown in the drawings but it is carried and operated by a bar or rod 2% (FIG. 1) which is pivotally connected with a member 39 clamped to a pin 31 rotatably mounted in a sleeve 31a carried by an angled portion of a member 32 secured to the drive shaft The arrangement is such that the bar or rod 2 9 is given longitudinal movements and also an oscillatory movement through an angle oi about At its forward end, the bar or rod 29' may be suitably supported by an arm swingable about a horizontal axis to cause the looper to partake of the desired movements, including a lifting and lowering movement. The connections at the forward end of the rod may be of the character disclosed in the patent to Mueller, No. 2,168,741, granted August 8, 1939.

For advancing the work during each stitch forming cycle, a top feed dog 33 FTGS. 8 and 11) is provided. This feed dog is secured to the forward end of a feed bar 34 having a strap 35 at its rearward end cooperating with an eccentric 35 secured to the shaft 2? see PiGS. 1 and S. This eccentric imparts longitudinal movements to the bar 3 5 and also serves to lift and lower the strap portion 35 thereof, thus imparting four-motion movements to the feed dog 33. Adjacent its forward end the bar 34 is supported by a pin 37 carried by a disc-like member 3% having a laterally extending pin 39 journaled in a bearing member ll, carried by the frame of the machine. As the feed bar is operated by the eccentric 36 it is rocked about the pin 37 and the latter is moved back and forth along an are about the axis of the shaft 39. in this way the desired four-motion movements are imparted to the feed dog.

The work being stitched and advanced, in the manner explained above, is supported by yieldable elements 41 (FIGS. 6, 14 and 15) pivotally connected at 42 with arms that are pivotally mounted at 44 on the work supporting member 14. Sprin s 45 serve to rock the levers 43 in a clockwise direction and thus urge the members 5-31 yieldingly upwardly.

The work being led through the machine is passed beneath a fixed presser foot 47 (FIG. 13) having a rearwardly extending arm 46 which is secured to the frame of the machine. The spring urged members 41 serve to force the work upwardly against the undersurface of the presser foot and they also cooperate with the feed dog 33 in advancing the work. The feed dog and the node former, to be described, are permitted to pass through the presser foot 4-7 by the provision of an opening 48 therein. The presser foot may be provided with other devices, such as a cloth retainer 47a. 7

Turning now to the node forming mechanism, the node former is indicated generally at 49 (FIGS. 1, 6 and 23). It is secured to a rock shaft 56 journaled in bearings carried by the work support 14. Thus, at its left end the shaft is journaled in a bushing 51 carried by the work support, and outwardly of the latter there is secured to the shaft 5% a knurled collar 52. At an intermediate point the shaft Sill is supported by a block 53, best shown in FIGS. 6 and 18. This block is secured by a set screw 53b to an eccentric portion 54a of a rotatable stud 54. Thus, by turning the stud the height of the block 53 may be adjusted so that the semicircular groove 53a at the top of the block will provide the desired support for the shaft 59. It will be understood that whenever the stud 54 is turned for adjustment purposes, the block 53 will need to be turned correspondingly in the opposite direction to maintain the groove 53a in proper relation to the undersurface of the shaft 50. Adjacent its right end (FIGS. 1 and 6) the shaft 5% has secured thereto a clutch arrangement comprising a disk 55 having a diametrically extending groove 55a of triangular cross-section in one face thereof. This is shown in FIG. 16 but this is taken from the opposite side and therefore discloses the parts in the reverse relationship from their showing in FIGS. 1 and 6. Cooperating with the disk 55 is a member 56 having a radially extending projection 56a of triangular crosssection adapted to cooperate with the groove 55a at one or the other side of the axis of disk 55. Member 56 has a circumferentially extending groove 56b and has a downward projection 560. A spring 57 mounted on the shaft 56 between the member 5-6 and a collar 53 secured to the shaft serves to urge the member 56 toward the disk 55. The right end of shaft 5%) is journaled in a bearing sleeve 59 and extends outwardly beyond the latter to receive a knurled collar 60. The elements 52, 58 and Gil serve to retain the shaft 50 against axial movement. Rocking movement of the shaft 58 upon each revolution of the shaft 22 is provided by a U-shaped link or pitman 62 connected by a screw stud 61 with the downward extension 560 of member 56. At its opposite end the member 62 carries a strap 63 surrounding an eccentric 64 secured to the shaft 22. It will be understood that the oscillatory movements imparted to member 56 will be imparted to the shaft 50 through the engagement of projection 56a with groove 55a.

Turning now to FIGS. 23 through 29, the node former 49, constructed in accordance with the invention, has a hub portion 65 mounted on the shaft 513 and from which extend two sectors 66 and d7, these having their radial center lines disposed 180 apart. If desired, the node former could have three sectors with their radial center lines disposed 120 apart. In this event each sector should preferably be made somewhat narrower than shown in FIG. 23. Sector 66 has a notch 66a provided in its peripheral edge in the region which is presented close to the path of the needle when the node former is rocked to produce a node in the work. The remaining portion 66b of the periphery of sector 66 may be curved along an are having the axis of the node former as its center. Preferably the peripheral edge of the sector is of double-beveled form as shown. Sector 67 has its entire peripheral edge 67a extending substantially along an are having the axis of the node former as its center. No notch is provided at the periphery of this sector. Preferably its peripheral edge is double-beveled.

It has been found that the form of sector 66 as shown is ideally suited for operation upon hard finish materials while sector 67 of the form shown is ideally suited for operation upon soft finish materials. In this connection it should be noted that the radius of the peripheral edge 66b is somewhat greater than that of the edge 67a. This is shown by FIGS. 26-29, inclusive. Thus, when the sector 67 is in its operative, node forming position, the point of the curved needle 24 passes close to the edge 67a when a stitch is to be formed through both layers of the work being sewn. When a skip stitch is to be formed, the node former is lowered slightly by the rocking of the work supporting member 14 in the manner to be explained. At this time the edge 67a of sector 67 is disposed a slightly further distance below the path of the point of needle 24. When sector 66 is shifted into operative position, the relationship described above, for the two types of stitch, exists between the path of the needle 24 and the notched surface 66a. The arcuate edge portion 66b moves along a path which would cross that of the needle, if the sector 66 were swung far enough for this purpose, particularly when the parts are in the position shown in FIG. 28 for the production of a regular stitch through both layers of the work. However, it will be understood that sector 66 is not rocked far enough to carry the portion 6612 into the path of the needle. The provision of the greater radius for the edge 66b has been found to assist greatly in producing the desired node in hard finish fabrics. While the particular forms shown for the two sectors of the node former have been found well suited for the intended purposes, either or both of the sectors could be modified in various ways to achieve the desired purposes.

Referring to FIGS. 6, l2 and 16, the means for selecting either sector 66 or sector 67 of the node former for use in a particular operation of the sewing machine will be described. A lever 68 is pivotally mounted by means of a screw stud 69 on the top of the work supporting member 14 in the region of the member 56. This lever is provided with an operating handle 68a and has a downwardly extending pin 68b disposed within the groove 56b of member 56. By swinging the lever toward the right (FIG. 6), or toward the left in FIG. 16, the member 56 will be shifted along the shaft 5h against the action of the spring 57 to disengage the projection 56a from the groove 55a. Either of the knurled disks 52 and 60 may then be turned by the operator to rotate the shaft 59 through 180. In the meantime the lever 68 may be released by the operator so that the spring 57 will automatically urge the projection 56a into the part of the groove 550 which is on the opposite side of the shaft 5% from that in which it has previously been engaged. It will be understood that during such rotation of the shaft 58 the member 56 will not rotate, since it is being held against turning by the U-shaped link 62. Preferably the member 55 carries suitable indicia on its peripheral surface, such as H and S, which are visible at the top of the Work supporting member to indicate whether the machine is set for operation upon hard finish fabrics or soft finish fabrics.

Turning now to the mechanism provided for controlling the operation of the machine to produce either a 1 to 1 stitch or a skip stitch, reference may be had to FIGS. 1-5, inclusive and 19-22, inclusive. This mechanism also includes adjustable means for determining the level at which the needle will pass through the node of fabric in forming a l to 1 type of seam and the two different levels at which the needle will pass through the fabric node in forming a skip stitch type of seam.

The work supporting member 14- has a downwardly extending apron or portion 7% which carries a pin 71 (1 16. 3). To this there is pivotally connected a link 72 provided at its opposite end with an eye to receive the hook of a spring 73. The opposite end of this spring is retained by an adjustable screw stud 74. By appropriate adjustment of the latter the tension of the spring may be varied. It will be apparent that the spring 73 serves to rock the work supporting member 14 in a counterclockwise direction about its pivots until the apron 7i} abuts the end of a rod 75 (FIG. 2). The latter is slidably mounted in the frame of the machine. An adjustable screw 76 (FIG. 1) may also be provided for cooperation with -a part of the fixed frame to limit the extent of such counterclockwise rocking of the work supporting member 14. Rod 75 carries a collar 77 which insures against undue movement of the rod toward the left (PEG. 2). Another collar 78 secured to the rod 75 is arranged to cooperate with the lower end of a lever or rock member 79, such as illustrated in perspective in FIG. 22. This lever is pivotally connected by a pin 8%) with the forked end of a cylindrical block 81 slidable within a cylindrical extension of a member 82 secured to the frame of the machine. A screw threaded stud 83 having screw threaded engagement with the block 81 has secured to its outer end a knob 84 provided with a pointer 85 adapted to indicate the adjustment of the parts by its position in relation to a calibrated dial 85a (see FIGS. 2 and 21). A spring urged ball 86 cooperating with identations in a disk 87 carried by the member 9.2 serves to retain the knob 84 in any position to which it is adjusted. Turning amass-o of the knob in one direction will cause the block 81 to move outwardly, i.e. toward the right in FIG. 2, and turning of the knob in the opposite direction will cause the block to move inwardly. As is apparent, movement of the block 81 serves to shift the pin and there-fore change slightly the location of the upper pivoted end of the lever '79.

At an intermediate point, about centrally of the length of the lever 79, there is mounted thereon a roller 83 adapted to rotate freely about a supporting pin 89 carrie by the lever. The roller 88 may be shifted axially to a slight extent along the pin 89 to bring it into cooperation with either a disk 95 secured to a stationary shaft 92 and having its periphery concentric with the axis of said shaft, or a disk 91, which is rotatable on the shaft -2 and is slightly eccentrically mounted in rela' n to said shaft. Secured to the disk 1 is a gear 93 which meshes with a pinion 94 on the main drive shaft 22. In the construction illustrated the gear 93 would be given one revolution for each two revolutions of pinion 94, thus adapting the machine for a 2 to 1 skip stitch when the roller 83 cooperates with disk 1. If it should be desired to produce a 3 to l or 4 to 1 skip stitch, the pinion 94 and gear 93 should be so selected as to impart one revolution to the gear for three or four revolutions of the pinion. Disk does not rotate but serves to maintain the disk 9l and gear 93 in proper position along the shaft, in addition to its selective cooperation with the roller 88 to determine the position of the latter.

A fork member 95 (FIGS. 2 and 19) straddles the outer edge of the roller 83 and serves to retain it in a selected position on the pin 39. Pork member 5 has a plate 96 secured thereto and a cylindrical shank 97 extend-s outwardly from the opposite side of the plate $6. A knob 93 having a pointer 99 is secured to the stern of shank $7 and provides a means for shifting the fork member 95 in a direction parallel with the pin 89. Above the pointer 9% of the knob 98 is an in icator plate tea which shows whether the machine is set for a skip stitch or a non-skip stitch operation. The plate 96 is slidable longitudina-lly witl'iin a channel 162 of a block liljl secured by screws idle to a portion of the frame. Shank 97 of the fork member passes through an elongated opening 133 in block 101 to per .it limited longitudinal move ment of the plate as. A ball l id urged downwardly by a spring led and held in place by a screw res, mounted within an opening itloa in the block 1% cooperates with the shank 97 to retain the slide 96 in either position to which it may be shifted. it will be understood that the ball 194 engages the shank 97 at one side or the other of a vertical plane through the axis of the shank, depending upon the position into which the knob 93 has been shifted.

When the fork member 95 is shifted into the skip position, the roller 83 will be alined with the eccentric disk 91 so that upon rotation of the latter the lever 7? will be rocked to a slight extent about its pivot 559. This causes the lower end of the lever to push the collar 73 and the rod 75 toward the left (FIG. 2) and thus rock the work supporting member 14 slightly about its pivotal axis 13. This serves to lower the node former carrying shaft 5-9 to a slight extent so as to bring about the relationship between the needle and the active node former sector which is indicated in FIGS. 27 and 29. This, in the illustrative machine, will occur on alternate revolutions of the drive shaft 22. rJuring the other revolutions of said drive shaft the disk 91 will present its low portion to the roller 83 and thus cause the selected node former sector to assume the relationship to the needle 24 shown in FlGS. 26 and 28. When the fork member )5 is shifted to 'aline the roller with the stationary concentric disk 9%, no movement will be imparted to the lever 7% during the operation of the machine. Under this setting the active node former sector will assume the relationship to the needle 24 indicated in FIGS. 26 and 2 8. The element need not be a complete disk, so long as it presents a surface onto which the rorler 88 may be shifted to hold the lever '79 in the position it assumes when the roller is engaged with the low part of the disk 91.

The machine is preferably provided with a knee press member 137 (PEG. 1) secured to a downwardly extending portion of a rod l fl which has a rearwardly extending portion connected by a coupling 1:99 with a rock shaft 11% carried by the machine frame. At its opposite end the shaft 11%} has secured thereto an arm 111 which is connected by a chain 112, or the like, with a portion 113 (FIG. 6) of the work supporting member 14 in rear of the shaft Ell. This arrangement is such that the work supporting member may be rocked at will about its pivot 18, in a clockwise direction, to facilitate the introduction and removal of work.

As will be seen from the foregoing, the improved machine is provided with three separate controls over the node forming mechanism, each of these controls being readily and quickly adjusted to adapt the machine for the effective production of either 1 to 1 type stitches or skip stitches, on either hard finish fabrics or soft finish fabrics. One control, knob )3, predetermines whether the machine is to produce a l to 1 type stitch or a sidp stitch. Another control, lever 65 and related parts, serves to adapt the machine for operation upon either hard finish fabrics or soft finish fabrics. A third control, knob $4, serves to adjust the depth of the stitches formed through a projected node of the work. This latter control serves to adapt the machine for proper operation upon different thicknesses of material being sewn and it also assists in insuring proper stitch formation in fabrics which may fall in a category between the hard finish type and the soft finish type.

While an illustrative embodiment of the invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be understood that various changes '1 ay be made in the construction and arrangement of various parts within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

In a 'blindstitch sewing machine having a main drive shaft, stitch forming mechanism, oscillatory node forming mechanism comprising a multiple sector node forming member, and work feeding mechanism, the combination which comprises an oscillatable node former supporting shaft, to which said node former is secured, connect-ions from said main drive shaft for oscillating said second mentioned shaft, a clutch in said connections having parts mounted on said node former supporting shaft and shiftable axially in relation to each other to connect and disconnect said last mentioned shaft from said drive shaft, a lever accessible to the operator for disconnecting said clutch, a manually rotatable element secured to said second mentioned suaft for turning said multiple sector node former about the axis of said second mentioned shaft into a selected one of a plurality of positions for selectively determining the particular node former sector to be rendered effective upon oscillation of said second mentioned shaft, at least one of said sectors having peripheral portions at difierent radial distances from the supporting shaft.

2. In a blindstitch sewing machine of the character set forth in claim 1, a pivotally mounted work supporting member, said node former supporting shaft being mounted for angular adjustment in said work supporting member, and adjustable means for varying the normal angular position of said work supporting member in relation to its pivotal axis.

3. In a blindstitch sewing machine of the character set forth in claim 2, said work supporting member being oscillatable, connections from said drive shaft for oscillating said work supporting member, and means in said connections for causing oscillation of said work supporting member during only predetermined revolutions of said main drive shaft for varying the action of the selected one of said multiple sectors of said node former.

4. In a blindstitch sewing machine of the character set forth in claim 3, a readily adjustable element in said last recited means for rendering said connections from said drive shaft to said work supporting member ineffective to oscillate said member.

5. In a blindstitch sewing machine of the character set forth in claim 3, said connections from said drive shaft for oscillating said work supporting member comprising a third shaft carrying an eccentrically mounted disk, gear. ing connecting said disk with said drive shaft, a rock member, and an axially shiftable roller carried by said rock member adapted to engage the periphery of said disk, manually operable means for shifting said roller out of engagement with said disk, and means positioned to engage said roller when it is shifted out of engagement with said disk and adapted to retain said rock member in a predetermined position upon continuous revolution of said drive shaft.

6. In a blindstitch sewing machine of the character set forth in claim 5, said last recited means comprising another disk which is concentrically mounted on said third shaft, said manually operable means comprising a shiftable slide having a forked element straddling the edge of said roller to shift the same for selective engagement with one or the other of said disks.

7. Ina blindstitoh sewing machine having a main drive shaft, and stitch forming mechanism, node forming mechanism and work feeding mechanism driven from said shaft, the combination which comprises a work supporting member oscillatable about a fixed axis, said node forming mechanism comprising an osoillatable shaft journaled in said work supporting member with its axis parallel with said fixed axis in a vertical plane removed from that containing the fixed axis about which said work supporting member is oscillatable, a third shaft beneath said drive shaft, an eccentrically mounted control disk rotatable about the axis of said third shaft, connections from said drive shaft for imparting one revolution to said disk for a predetermined plurality of revolutions of said drive shaft, a control member adjacent said control disk having a surface thereon close to the periphery of said disk at a distance from the axis of said third shaft equal to that of the point on the periphery of said disk which is closest to the axis of said third shaft, means adjustable by the operator for selective cooperation with said control disk or said control member, and connections from said adjustable means to said work supporting member, said control disk operating said last mentioned connections to rock said work supporting member upon a pre determined number of rotations of said drive shaft, and said control member serving to maintain said work sup- 10 porting member stationary during continuous rotation of said drive shaft.

8. In a blindstitch sewing machine of the character set forth in claim 7, said control member comprising a disk which is concentrically mounted on said third shaft.

9. In a blindstitch sewing machine of the character set forth in claim 8, means for holding said third shaft stationary, said first mentioned disk being rotatable upon said third shaft, and said second mentioned disk being secured to said third shaft.

10. In a blindstitch sewing machine of the character set forth in claim 7, said means adjustable by the operator comprising a roller, and a slide shiftabie by the operator for shifting said roller axially to cooperate selectively with either said control disk or said control member.

11. In a blindstitch sewing machine of the character set forth in claim 7, said connections from said adjustable means comprising a rock member carrying said adjustable means for manual movement thereon into selective engagement with either said control disk or said control member.

12. in a blindstitch sewing machine of the character set forth in claim 11, a second adjustable means cooperating with said rock member for altering the normal position of said Work supporting member and the upper and lower limits to which said supporting member is moved by said control disk.

13. In a blindstitch sewing machine of the character set forth in claim 12, said second adjustable means comprising a longitudinally adjustable block, said rock member having its upper end pivotally connected with said block, said roller being mounted on said rock member intermediate the ends thereof for adjustable movement parallel with the axis of the pivotal connection of said rock member with said block, the lower end of said rock member cooperating with other means in said connections from said adjustable means to said work supporting member for controlling the normal position of the latter and for oscillating said supporting member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,905,391 Mueller Apr. 25, 1933 2,000,929 Dearborn May 14, 1935 2,194,149 Mueller Mar. 19, 1940 2,248,439 Scheibel July 8, 1941 2,333,128 Stevenson Nov. 2, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 515,273 Germany Nov. 19, 1931 

1. IN A BLINDSTITCH SEWING MACHINE HAVING A MAIN DRIVE SHAFT, STITCH FORMING MECHANISM, OSCILLATORY NODE FORMING MECHANISM COMPRISING A MULTIPLE SECTOR NODE FORMING MEMBER, AND WORK FEEDING MECHANISM, THE COMBINATION WHICH COMPRISES AN OSCILLATABLE NODE FORMER SUPPORTING SHAFT, TO WHICH SAID NODE FORMER IS SECURED, CONNECTIONS FROM SAID MAIN DRIVE SHAFT FOR OSCILLATING SAID SECOND MENTIONED SHAFT, A CLUTCH IN SAID CONNECTIONS HAVING PARTS MOUNTED ON SAID NODE FORMER SUPPORTING SHAFT AND SHIFTABLE AXIALLY IN RELATION TO EACH OTHER TO CONNECT AND DISCONNECT SAID LAST MENTIONED SHAFT FROM SAID DRIVE SHAFT, A LEVER ACCESSIBLE TO THE OPERATOR FOR DISCONNECTING SAID CLUTCH, A MANUALLY ROTATABLE ELEMENT SECURED TO SAID SECOND MENTIONED SHAFT FOR TURNING SAID MULTIPLE SECTOR NODE FORMER ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID SECOND MENTIONED SHAFT INTO A SELECTED ONE OF A PLURALITY OF POSITIONS FOR SELECTIVELY DETERMINING THE PARTICULAR NODE FORMER SECTOR TO BE RENDERED EFFECTIVE UPON OSCILLATION OF SAID SECOND MENTIONED SHAFT, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID SECTORS HAVING PERIPHERAL PORTIONS AT DIFFERENT RADIAL DISTANCES FROM THE SUPPORTING SHAFT. 